Pessary



March 6, 1934. R M, HAY 1,949,863

PEssARY Filed NOV. 25, 1932 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PESSARY Rene M. Hay, New York, N. Y., assignor to Durex' Products, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,260

5 Claims.

This invention relates to pessaries.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a pessary which may be readily conformed by manipulation by a physician or nurse to the particular structure of the organs of the patient or user, to which the same is applicable, so as to insure comfort and eificiency in use.

Another principal object is to provide such a device which, while pliable, so that the same may be manipulated, will also have the rigidity to maintain the shape to which it has been adiusted.

Another principal object is to so construct the device as to permit longitudinal bending or folding thereof to facilitate the fitting of the same to a patient, and the automatic restoration of the same to its adjusted shape when in place.

Another principal object is to construct such a device of such materials as to adapt it to be sterilized without deteriorating effects upon the materials or shape.

Other objects will be apparent from reading this specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which 26 Figure l is a perspective view of an occlusive pessary embodying my invention;

Figure 2 represents a corrective ring pessary embodying my invention; and

Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2.

80 Referring now in detail to the drawing in which imilar characters refer to similar parts throughout, is the ring of a pessary having a sheet rubber coat l1, and a membrane 12 also preferably made of .sheet rubber. Of course, other suitable material adaptable for sterilization may be used in place of sheet rubber.

The ring 10 includes a pair of bars 13, 14+. preferably of metal and conveniently in the form of wires, adapted to be shaped by hand to any conformation desired, and to retain such shape until they are subjected to further manipulation. The pessary ring when shaped for use is ovate in form, having the sides 15, 16 and the ends of apices 17. 18. One of the bars 13, 14 is positioned in one side of the ring and the other bar is positioned in the opposite side of the ring, the ends of the bars being spaced from each other as shown at 19, 20. The bars constitute a core in the coil spring 21, the ends of which coil are connected to each other to form an endless construct-ion.

It will be seen from the construction just de scribed that the bars 13, 14 act as stays to maintain the shape of the ring. By reason of the spaces 19, 20 between the bars at the apex of the ring, however, the ring may be folded longitudinally to decrease its lateral spread, and held in its folded condition while being inserted into its service position where, upon being released, it will assume the adjusted form intended to for it when in use, by reason of the released spring action at the apices of the ring.

The bar and spring assembly is covered preferably with unvulcanized sheet rubber, and, where the pessary is to be of the occlusive type, such as material will also form the diaphragm. The rubber is then vulcanized in its position in the assembly.

In use, the pessary is manually shaped to the form best adapted for the patients person. It is then folded in the manner described, and held in this condition during its insertion into the locality of service. The pessary is then released and allowed to assume its intended form. Final adjustment of its position may then be made to insure comfort to the patient and correction of the position of the patients organs or the filling of any other oflice for which the use thereof is intended.

The pessary may be sterilized in any well known so manner, boiling for instance, without injury to the materials of which it is made, nor will it become mal-formed through such sterilization as is the case with the hard rubber pessaries now in use. Moreover, the resilient rubber facing of the 35 present pessary constitutes a cushion in the portion of the anatomy in which it is worn, thus further insuring more comfort to the patient than is the case in the use of hard rubber pessaries.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiment of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiment shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pessary comprising a plurality of reinforcing wires, rigid in construction but adapted to be bent manually into any desired shape, said wires being curved and positioned substantially end to end to form a ring, and a spring wire helix surrounding said wires to constitute therewith a ring structure adapted to be manually folded between the ends of adjacent wires.

2. In a pessary, a plurality of rigid manually pliable cores, an endless helical spring forming a ring in which said cores are located, spaces being maintained between the ends of adjacent cores in said spring, adapted to localize resilient folding regions for the pessary, and a coating surrounding said ring.

4. A pessary comprising a pair of cores con-' stituting jointly a substantially ring-shaped form,

said core being of rigid but manually pliable material so that said pessary is adapted to be manually shaped and to hold itsshape,.the ends of said cores being spaced from each other, and helical spring means for resiliently connecting said cores to provide resilient bending zones adjacent the ends of said cores whereby said pessary is adapted to be folded for easy insertion.

5. A pessary comprising a plurality of reinforcing wires, rigid in construction but adapted to be bentmanually into any desired shape, said wires being curved and positioned substantially end to end to form a ring, and a spring wire helix surrounding said wires to constitute therewith a ring structure adapted to be manually folded between the ends of adjacent wires, a coating for said ring and a web portion extending over the interior area of the ring. 4

. RENE M. HAY. 

